Walt Disney Imagineering Files Permit for Tree of Life Theater Demolition and Development

Feb 05, 2025 in "'It's Tough to be a Bug'"

Posted: Wednesday February 5, 2025 11:31am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a new Notice of Commencement for work at the Tree of Life Theater in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The permit lists "Facility Demo, General Construction, Electrical, and Area Development" as the scope of work, indicating significant changes are planned for the space. Long-time Disney partner Whiting-Turner will carry out the work.

'It's Tough to be a Bug' theater

The filing comes as Disney prepares to close It's Tough to be a Bug! on March 17, 2025, to make way for Zootopia: Better Zoogether!, a new attraction set to debut in winter 2025. The permit suggests that work will begin soon after the closure, with demolition and construction likely focused on transforming the theater to fit the upcoming Zootopia-themed experience.

It's Tough to be a Bug! has been a part of Animal Kingdom since the park opened in 1998, utilizing 3D effects, animatronics, and in-theater sensory elements to bring guests into the world of A Bug's Life.

The arrival of Zootopia: Better Zoogether! will mark a major update to the Tree of Life Theater, bringing characters from the hit 2016 film into the park. Details on the new show remain limited, but Disney has teased that it will showcase the "various biomes of Zootopia" and feature familiar characters.

Zootopia: Better Zoogether Poster

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Cmdr_Crimson7 days ago

With the Zootopia 2 opening Nov 26th this would fit that timeline so after it gets released the new attraction opens just around afterwards...

FrontierSpirit8 days ago

Think I like Meteorological and Astronomical Winters better. I’ll assume it’s not open by Dec. and if it is my girls will love it! If not, I won’t mention it.

MisterPenguin8 days ago

Take the earliest time that anyone would say it is "Winter" and the latest time anyone would say it's still "Winter." That.

FrontierSpirit8 days ago

What does opening Winter 2025 mean? Meteorological Winter: December, January, and February. Astronomical Winter: Approximately late December to late March. What’s a Disney winter type timeline?

FigmentFan829 days ago

2 Posters, one of which was a foreign market poster, and being 3rd in line in a huge cast picture list is NOT at all making a "big deal" out of it. You're stretching this farther than silly putty.

Brer Panther10 days ago

I recall she was the first cast member to be announced after Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman. There were articles online about her being in the film. The character got at least two posters. When the full "main" cast of the film was announced at the 2015 D23 Expo, she was right next to Ginnifer and Jason, the third listed in the cast list - BEFORE characters who actually had a role in the film's plot like Chief Bogo, Mayor Lionheart, and Dawn Bellwether and instead of Mr. Big, who ALSO had a role in the film's plot unlike Gazelle but wasn't listed because he wasn't voiced by a celebrity. There was definitely a big deal made about Shakira being in the movie.

peter1143510 days ago

Explain when and how they “made a huge deal about the fact that Shakira was in the movie”?

FettFan10 days ago

"Smithers....release the sea lions."

FigmentFan8210 days ago

Um, I'm not recalling at all any type of marketing or promotion of the Gizelle character to make people aware there was a character voiced by Shakira. No trailers focused on her at all. They never attempted to misdirect you that Gizelle was a major character.

Brer Panther10 days ago

Y'know what I love about Zootopia? They created a character for the sole purpose of putting Shakira in their movie and then made such a huge deal about the fact that Shakira was in their movie, and the character only had, what, five lines outside of the song?

Disgruntled Walt11 days ago

So proud that we've got the OG one here, and it still holds up. I love the crashed police car in the queue. Best queue at Great America (though Viper is pretty good too).

FettFan12 days ago

Strong disagree; just look at Busch Gardens. It can be done, and can be done well….but not by the current leadership. I still greatly miss Warden Wilson. Even though we all knew he was a prerecorded sound effect and voice actor, I always got a kick out of seeing how many children (and quite a fair number of adults!) were craning their necks out of the trucks to try to spot him flying overhead.